Roll bending device for rolling mill



March 19, 1968 J. w. o' RlE 3,373,589

ROLL BBNDING DEVICE FOR ROLLING MILL INVENTOR.

2 Sheets-Sheet J Filed May 19, 1965 HIS ATTORNEY.

March 19, 1968 J. w. O'BRIEN 3,

' ROLL BENDING DEVICE FOR ROLLING MILL Filed May 19, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet1 N VEN TOR. JEQEM/Afi 14 oae/Elv HIS ATTORNEY.

3,373,589 ROLL BENDHNG DEVIQE FOR ROLLING MILL Jeremiah Wagner GBrien,Pittsburgh, Pa, assignor to United En ineering and Foundry Company,Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Fiied May 19, 1965, Ser.No. 157,0190 Claims priority, application Great Britain, .iune 4, 1964,23,286/64 Ciaims. (Cl. 72-438) ABSCT 61* THE DECLOSURE In a rolling millhaving a pair of rolls in which there is provided force applying means,such as piston cylinder assemblies for imposing a force on the ends ofthe rolls in which the invention comprises a pivotal support carried onthe housings of the mill for at least one of the force applying means.This provides a support for the piston cylinder assemblies in the formof a gate whereby the assemblies can be very quickly swung into and outof an operative position.

The present invention relates to an improvement in rolling mills and,more particularly, but not exclusively, to those mills provided withmeans for applying bending moments to the journals of the backup rollsof a 4-high strip, sheet or plate mill .to control the crown or contourof the backup rolls and, hence, the work rolls.

While the employment of such means for controlling the shape or contourof the workpiece being rolled has proven successful, the actual designsemployed have possessed some serious disadvantages, particularly, withreference to impeding the quick and efiicient replacement of the 1 illrolls. One design in use employs a pair of crown control single-actingpiston cylinder assemblies secured to hearing retainers outward of theaxes of the rolls, wherein the cylinders themselves fall within theconfines of the windows of the mill. In this arrangement, while it isnecessary to completely remove the crown control cylinders from thebackup rolls to change these rolls, this is not necessary to change thework rolls since their chocks are designed not to extend the full widthof the windows, hence they fall within the areas between the cylinders.Nevertheless, the removal and replacement of the work rolls is aprecision operation because of a closeness of the parts requiringgreater care, skill and time.

In another design, however, where the chocks of the work rolls mustextend the full width of the windows, the arrangement of the crowncontrol cylinders in the above manner requires the removal of thecylinders in order to replace even the work rolls.

Two other disadvantages of prior designs have reference to the positiveconnection required between the crown control cylinders and ends of thebackup rolls and the fact that the cylinders had to be located aconsiderable distance away from the axes of the rolls which imposedlimitations as to the magnitude of the crown control pressure that couldbe employed. An example of a mill possessing these limitations, as wellas others, may be seen in referring to US. Patent No. 3,171,305 whichissued to M. D. Stone on Mar. 2, 1965.

The present invention provides an arrangement for the roll bendingpiston cylinder assemblies of the crown control equipment characterized:by the fact that the force-applying cylinders are not interconnected tothe supports to which the bending moments are applied to the backuprolls. Consequently, there is no need to disconnect any parts wheneither the work rolls or the backup rolls are to be changed.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement forsupporting the crown control piston dag cylinder assemblies, wherein thecylinders are movable rom an operative position to an inoperativeposition and, wherein in the operative position they are located withinthe windows of the mill and relatively close to the center of the rollsand in their inoperative position the cylinders are located outside thewindows of the mill whereby the rolls are free to be quickly removedfrom the mill. In this regard it will be pointed out that flexiblehydraulic lines are provided for the crown control piston cylinderassemblies so that on their removal from their operative positions,there is no need of disconnecting the hydraulic lines provided for thepiston cylinder assemblies.

A still further object of the invention is to provide in connection withthe crown control cylinder assemblies two pairs of double pistonsingle-acting cylinders for a pair of rolls. The complementary pistonsof each pair are engageable with supporting brackets mounted on thespaced-apart backup rolls to apply bending moments to these rolls. Alsoincluded is means for establishing a clearance between the chocks of oneof the backup rolls and one of the pistons of each cylinder assembly sothat on the discontinuation of the pressure in the cylinder assemblies,one piston of each cylinder will be moved away from the chocks therebyallowing the cylinder assemblies to be moved to their inoperativepositions.

It is another object of this invention to provide pivotal supports forthe crown control piston cylinder assemblies, the construction beingsuch that the forces generated by the cylinder assemblies are notimposed upon the supports provided for the cylinders.

These features and advantages, as well as others, will be more evidentfrom the following description when read in connection with theaccompanying drawings of which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, of a 4-high rollingmill incorporating the features of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of FIGURE 1 which represents theoperating side of the mill, wherein the crown control piston cylinderassemblies provided at this side of the mill are shown in theiroperative position; and

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on lines III-III of FIGURE 1.

With reference to the figures, for the sake of clarity, it will be notedthat the drawings do not disclose many of the well-known components ofthe rolling mill, the commonplace of which components is demonstrated byway of example in the aforesaid U. S. patent.

With reference to FIGURE 1, there are shown two identical spaced-aparthousings '11 and 12, each housing having a window 13 into which there isreceived in vertical aligned relationship four rolls. These rollsconsist of two cooperating work rolls 14 and 15, each being backed up bybackup rolls 16 and 17, respectively. The work rolls are provided, in acustomary manner, with bearing-chock assemblies 18, as are the backuprolls 16 and 17, their bearing-chock assemblies being identified by thereference character 19. The work rolls 14 and 15, as FIGURE 1 shows, aredriven by spindles 21 and 22, respectively, which are connected to asource of power not shown.

With reference now to the bearing-chock assemblies 19 provided for thebackup rolls 16 and 17 and, first, with respect to the assembliesprovided for the lower roll 17, it will be noted that at the bottoms ofthe chocks there are provided rocker plates 23 which engage with rockerplates 24 supported by the housings 1 1 and 12 and by which means therolling force transmitted to the backup rolls 17 is transferred to thehousings. Turning now to the bearing-chock assemblies 19 provided forthe upper backup roll 16, it will be noted that in the customary mannerthey are adapted to be engaged by breaker blocks 25, each having upperspherical surfaces which are contacted by complementary surfaces formedon the lower ends of screws 26 of the screwdown mechanism, not shown,provided for the mill. In this manner on rotation of the screws 26, theupper backup roll 16 and the upper work roll 14 are adjusted in avertical direction. It might be noted here, with respect to theadjustment of these two rolls that while not shown, the customary meansfor urging the bearing-chocks 19 and blocks 25 against the screws willbe provided, together with means for urging the upper work roll 14against the backup roll 16.

Turning now tothe mechanism provided for imposing bending moments on thebackup rolls 16 and 17 to thereby control the contour or crown of theserolls and, hence, the work rolls 14 and 15, reference will be made againto FIGURE 1. It will be noted that on the outer journals of the backuprolls 16 and 17, there are provided bearings 28, which bearings arereceived in support brackets 29. These support brackets are providedwith horizontal extending feet 30, the opposed surfaces of which areprovided with flat horizontal areas, the feet being arranged within thewindows 13 and relatively close to a plane containing the axes of therolls 16 and 17, as FIG- URE 2 clearly shows. In the area represented bythe space between the feet of the respective support brackets 29, thereis pivotally mounted on the housings 11 and 12 crown control pistoncylinder assemblies 31 for the backup rolls 16 and 17. The cylinders ofthese assemblies are provided, offset from the pistons thereof, withopposed journals 32 and 33 which are received in brackets 3d secured tothe outer faces of the housings 11 and 12. It will be appreciated thatthe cylinder assemblies 51 are pivotally moved within and relative tothe brackets 34.

At the top of the brackets 34 there are provided looking devicesconsisting of piston cylinder assemblies 35, the pistons of which areconnected to reciprocable looking pins 36 which are designed to passinto one of two sprocket openings 37, 37a formed at the top of thecylinder-assemblies 31, the heads being formed to agree with theopenings, thereby when the pins 36 are in the openings 37, 37a thecylinder assemblies will be locked either in their operative orinoperative positions, such as shown in FIGURE 3.

Turning now to the construction of the cylinder assemblies 31, it willbe noted from FIGURE 3 that the pair at the drive side of the mill isstationary While the pair at the operating side is movable. The cylinderassemblies are provided with opposed pistons 38 and 39, the pistons 38engaging the feet 30 of the bracket supports 29 of the upper backup roll16 and the pistons 39 engaging the feet 30 of the bracket supports 29 ofthe lower backup roll 17.

In a given design single piston cylinder assemblies can be employedwherein the cylinders themselves will be carried by the brackets, butmovable relative thereto in order to establish a clearance between thebrackets and cylinders. Moreover, in a given case a swingable singlepiston cylinder assembly may be employed for each side of the millmounted in a place containing the axes of the backup rolls. As indicatedby the single fluid lines 41, shown in FIGURE 2, the cylinder assemblies31 are single acting. The fluid lines 41 feed pressurized fluid throughpassageways 41a formed in the supports 29, which in turn communicatewith the center of the cylinders of piston cylinder assemblies 31.

In order to provide for quick rotation of the cylinder assemblies 31,means are provided for establishing clearances between the pistons 39and the bracket supports 29 of the lower backup roll 17. This meansconsists of spring assemblies 42, each of which comprise twodiammetrically oppositely arranged springs mounted around the cylinderassembly 31 which are provided with rods 42a, the rods being connectedto a flange 43 mounted on the end of the piston 39. The springs areadjusted by double nuts 44. On the collapsing of the pressure in thecylinder assemblies 31, the energy of the springs will cause aretraction of the pistons 39 into the cylinder assemblies 31, therebyclearances will be established between the extreme outer ends of thepistons 39 and the feet 30 of the bracket supports 29. It will beappreciated that in place of the springs 42, piston cylinder assembliescould just as conveniently be employed.

In the present design the cylinder assemblies 31 located on theoperating side of the mill are moved from the operative position, asshown in full line in FIGURE 3, to their inoperative position, shown inoutline form in FIGURE 3, by means of a workman pulling the cylinderassemblies out from under the support brackets 29. Should a morepositive and quicker arrangement be necessary, it will be appreciatedthat piston cylinder assemblies could be mounted on the housings andconnected to the cylinder assemblies for providing quick positioning ofthe assemblies.

Also, it is important to point out that the mounting construction of thecylinder assembly 31 is such that during operation of the cylindersthere is no force applied to the brackets 34 that carries theassemblies.

A description of the movement of the pair of piston cylinder assemblies31 located on the operating side of the mill will now be given incidentto the changing of the rolls 14, 15, 16 and 17 of the illustrated mill.Let it be assumed that these cylinder assemblies 31 are in theiroperative positions, as shown in FIGURE 2, and that the pistons 33 and39 are exerting their pressure to impose bending moments upon the backuprolls 16 and 17 along with a pair of cylinder assemblies located at thedriven side of the mill. Let it further be assumed that in thisparticular operation all of the rolls are to be changed, although, itwill be appreciated, as previously mentioned, that the work rolls 14-and 15 are more frequently changed than the backup rolls 16 and 17.Since the many prelimi nary steps incident to roll changing, such as theremoval of the chock keeper plates and the hydraulic lines, etc. have norelationship to the operation of the cylinders 31, reference to them asfar as the roll changing operation is being omitted.

With reference to the piston cylinder assemblies 31, the pressure in thecylinder assemblies 31 will first be exhausted, whereby with respect tothe pair of cylinders located at the operating side of the mill thesprings 42 will raise the pistons 39 away from the feet 30 of thebracket supports 29 of the lower backup roll 17. At the same time thebackup roll 16 will be moved away from the ends of the pistons 38 byraising the screws 26, thereby establishing clearances between the endsof the pistons 38 and the feet 30 of the support brackets 29 of theupper backup roll 16. Once this has been accomplished the one pair ofcylinder assemblies 31 are free to be moved from the operative positionto the inoperative position, whereby they clear the window 13 of theoperating side leaving the area free for the quick removal of the workrolls and backup rolls. These rolls may be removed either as an integralunit or, depending on the facilities, provided for the mill,individually according to Well-known practice.

It will be noted that the arrangement for mounting the cylinderassemblies 31 on the operating side of the mill is such that it is notnecessary to disconnect any hydraulic lines in order to allow thecylinders to be moved out of their operative positions. FIGURE 2 may beused to illustrate one example of the invention applied to a 2-highmill. Assuming that the work rolls 14 and 15 did not exist and that thebackup rolls 16 and 17, in fact, were the work rolls of a Z-high mill,it will be observed that the feet 30 of the brackets 29 can be relocatedadjacent to the center of the rolls thereby allowing sufficient spacefor the piston cylinder assemblies 31 to be brought between the feet.

While the present invention has been illustrated in connection with a4-high mill, it will be appreciated that the features thereof can bejust as conveniently incorporated in a 2-high mill and other forms ofrolling mills as well as paper and rubber calenders and the like.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I haveexplained the principle and operation of my invention and haveillustrated and described what I consider to represent the bestembodiment thereof. However, I desire to have it understood that withinthe scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practicedotherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. A rollin mill having a housing, a pair of rolls between whichmaterial to be processed is fed, first bearing chock assemblies mountedon the ends of the rolls, a force applying means arranged at each sideof the mill common to the roll ends for imposing bending forces on theends of the rolls, said force applying means adapted to abut againstsaid first bearing chock assemblies but not otherwise connected thereto,first support means at one of said sides of the mill secured to saidhousing for carrying one of said force applying means whereby said forceapplying means can be selectively positioned adjacent to the ends of therolls, which position will constitute the operative position and in aposition remote from the adjacent position which will constitute aninoperative position of said one force applying means, and secondsupport means at the other side of the mill secured to said housing forcarrying the other force applying means.

2. A rolling mill according to claim 1, wherein said mill housingincludes a pair of spaced-apart windows for receiving second bearingchock assemblies of a second pair of cooperative rolls which constituteprocessing rolls arranged to engage the material, said pair of firstrolls arranged to function as backup rolls for said processing rolls,third bearing chock assemblies mounted in said windows for receivingsaid backup rolls, said backup rolls having portions extending outwardof said third bearing chock assemblies onto which said first bearingchock assemblies are mounted.

3. A rolling mill according to claim 2, wherein each of said firstbearing-chock assemblies of said backup rolls include spaced-apart, fiatsurfaces which oppose similar surfaces of opposed chocks, said opposingsurfaces of each opposed chock being spaced apart a distancesubstantially equal to the sum of the diameters of the processing rolls,said force applying means constituting a pair of piston cylinderassemblies for each opposed first bearing-chock assemblies, said pistoncylinder assemblies in their operative positions being arranged betweenthe opposed flat surfaces of the second bearing-chock assemblies.

4. A rolling mill according to claim 3, wherein said piston cylinderassemblies each include two opposed pistons and means for applyingpressure to the opposed pistons in one direction.

5. A rolling mill according to claim 4, including means for moving oneof the pistons of each cylinder into the cylinder thereof.

6. A rolling mill according to claim 5, wherein the means for moving thepistons includes a member secured to the end of the pistons, springscarried by the cylinders of the piston cylinder assemblies connected tothe members for urging the pistons within the cylinders.

7. A rolling mill according to claim 3, comprising a pair ofspaced-apart brackets carried by the housing on each side of thewindows, a support extending between the brackets and pivotally carriedthereby, means for connecting said piston cylinder assemblies to saidsupports so that when in their operative positions, the piston cylinderassemblies are within the window and between the op posed fiat surfacesof said first bearing-chock assemblies of the backup rolls, and when intheir inoperative positions they pass clear of the windows.

8. A rolling mill according to claim 7, wherein each said pistoncylinder assemblies having a pair of opposed pistons engageable with oneof the first chocks and wherein said brackets and supports areconstructed and arranged relative to the opposed pistons of the relatedpiston cylinder assemblies that on application of pressure by thepistons, the brackets are free from any reaction forces.

9. A rolling mill according to claim 7, including means for each pistoncylinder assembly carried by the housing and engageable with the supportfor preventing movement of the cylinders when in their operative andinoperative positions.

10. A rolling mill according to claim 7, including a fluid passagewayformed in each of said supports communicating with intake ports formedin said cylinders.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 11/1956 Germany.

CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

